on the digestive nature of tangleweeds

OIA'I'O

and i asked myself about the present:

You tilt your head trying to catch any sort of sound coming from the creature. However there seems to be nothing at all. No bellow to try and intimidate Kai, no croak of fear. That in itself is interesting, but not nearly as interesting as the way its movement is suddenly arrested and then reversed.  Writing frantically to try and record as many of these details as you possible can, you hardly notice that rather than halting its retreat from Kai once it is a sage distance away (possibly stopping to then regard him and see if the gesture was indeed meant to be aggressive, as some other animals were wont to do), it continues towards you.

You look up, no fear or urgency in your blue stare. "Freeze." You tell it, and, it does. Hanging in midair, the time around the tangleweed stopped where it was, you move yourself a foot or so to the right, before nodding at the tangleweed. Time unstops and it goes whirling by. You note all of this, recording how long it takes before the amalgamation of sticks notices that you are not before it  anymore and stops.  It rolls uncertainly for a moment as if eyeing both you and Kai, before falling utterly still again.

"Low sentience." You observe, calling out to Kai before pulling the tangleweed still slowly trying to digest you from your arm. "They seem to be more reactive, than thoughtful."

how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep

so hold my hand & i'll walk with you, my dear

Huh. As Oia freezes the tangleweed in mid air you make your way back toward it, taking the opportunity to investigate the weird kinda-sorta-stick limbs. Before it can escape you snap a little off, now pretty confident that it can't really feel pain, as such.

Your twin releases the plant creature but you don't pay a lot of attention. You've got the length of tangleweed limb(?) held close to your eyes, squinting intently as you roll it between your fingers. Pushing out with your magic thoughtfully, you attempt to get the not-stick to bend, surprised as it shows a certain degree of suppleness, as though it were made of new, green wood.

But sight and touch are not the only senses you have to employ, and Rae sent you off to really examine the world, not just 2/5 examine it. So, of course, you take the logical next step and raise the stick up to your mouth, swiping your tongue across its length as a child might lick a popsicle. And lo and behold, new information! "They're barbed," you announce to your twin triumphantly, walking back to where she stands. "Teeny tiny barbs, but you can feel 'em on your tongue. It mus' be how they grab prey an' get around without gettin' stuck on everything."

Kaimana

OIA'I'O

and i asked myself about the present:

You and Kai have repeated this process enough that as he begins his own type of experimentation, you simply record what you see. Without feeling the pulse of his magic though, you're unsure just how much is suppleness and how much is the effect of your twin's will. "Description." You remind Kai, large blue eyes fixed on him as your pen hovers expectantly above the page.

Barbed you record easily. Were you the tinker-er type, this might be where something like velcro gets invented (and in other worlds, this is precisely how). But you aren't, and so you merely record the world as it is, making no effort to apply its principles onto anything pragmatic. "Do you feel any swelling? Numbness? Tingling?" Given the effects on your limbs, you wouldn't be surprised if something similar manifests on Kai's tongue.

how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep

so hold my hand & i'll walk with you, my dear

Oh, right. Descriptions. Well, teeny tiny barbs is a good start, but you suppose you ought to explain the other things you're experiencing from it, too. "It's supple, like new wood. Bendy. Which makes sense, I 'spose, given its mobility." Holding either end of the not-stick between your forefingers, you gently squeeze to induce bending without allowing it to snap. This isn't magical, it's a practical test.

The next part is easier. "Nah, it only feels kinda painful from the barbs. I don' think whatever made the numb feeling is in the stick-legs- it's from the stomachy bit in the middle." The digestive processes must be housed there, and some form of stomach acid produced to break down organic organic matter.

That's what Oia might have said, anyway. For your purposes and vocabulary, 'stomachy bit' works well enough.

Looking at the one your twin has disengaged from her arm, you roll your stick between your fingers thoughtfully. "Does it smell like anything? Like animal mustiness or plantness or acidy?"

Kaimana

OIA'I'O

and i asked myself about the present:

You note the things your brother says easily. In the back of your mind you wonder why you haven't simply created something that automatically transcribes what is going on around you. Perhaps, if there is some sort of tinkerer here or in the Greatwoods, you shall ask for such a device.

As your twin has already deduced, you are not in agreement about the use of the term stomachy-bit. You say nothing though, supplementing it indeed for more technical language as you keep your head cocked to the side to catch the remainder of his description.

Flaring your nostrils as if you were some sort of scent-reliant creature, you close your eyes and inhale deeply. Filtering out the other various scents that come to you, you do your best to focus on the tangleweed. Breathing in a few more times, the smallest smile tugs at your lips. Well-constructed defense mechanisms are always a cause for delight. "It smells quite sweet. Likely that is one of the ways it attracts potential meals. Interesting that it does not smell like flesh, or rotting meat. Perhaps its prey are herbivores then."

how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep

so hold my hand & i'll walk with you, my dear

Watching as Oia smells the tangleweed you find yourself feeling rather pleased with how well this distraction has worked out. Not only has your twin been thoroughly distracted from her digression but you have, in fact, learned quite a bit about the tangleweeds - your very first floral encounter of the Hollowed Grounds.

Yup, it's been a good day's work. Your Dama (what you have, much to your sister's chagrin, ever insisted on calling Rae) would be proud.

Or at least not not proud.

The conclusion that the stick-creatures prey on herbivores makes a certain amount of sense to you, especially given the earlier conversation about the likely lack of predators in the bubble. "There prolly aren' enough carnivores t'be good prey. Omnis, maybe. But also it makes sense it'd go for prey that can't fight back so well, since it's pretty fragile overall."

Still playing with the stick in your hands, you return to your twin's side in a fit of sudden uncertainty, leaning into her unabashedly and looking down at the disconnected limb. "Hey, 'I'a... d'ya think the people will be this easy t' understand? An' helpful? An' nice?" You know she won't particularly care one way or another, but you can't help wonder. "They spent so long all alone in here... what if they hate Rae an' the old gods? Or what if... what if they forgot?"

Kaimana

OIA'I'O

and i asked myself about the present:

Were you to hear your twin's thoughts, you would remind him that pride has nothing to do with it. Your work is satisfactory at best. Moreover pride is not something Rae would likely feel towards the pair of you anyways. Then again though you think you understand your life-giver better than your twin, really, you have the same set of evidence. You disagree with your twin's conclusions, but both hypotheses are consistent with what you know.

But you aren't a mind reader, so it hardly matters.

"Small rodents perhaps? Grasshoppers and the like?" Pausing, you consider what you've just said. "I expect flinthoppers could probably devastate an entire population of these." Which of course leads to a follow up query: "Do you think flinthoppers reside here as well?"

As Kai leans against you, you fight the immediate impulse to grow stiff and take a step away. You love Kai in a way you'll never love anyone (or anything else), but even that doesn't stop the immediate rising panic that physical contact brings. But over the years you've learned how to control it especially well with him. Your version of cuddling him back is simply remaining where you are, and perhaps leaning into him slightly as you try not to over-analyze.

"I don't know." But that isn't what he's asking. He's asking you to speculate, and only because you love him so, do you endeavor to do this, much as you loathe it. "Being contained they might have either grown placid, or more aggressive. Then again, the documents indicate that the number of Outlanders being portalled in has increased dramatically. They might be accustomed to people showing up, by now. "

The notion they might have forgotten the gods does make you tense involuntarily. They can hate Rae all they please, it changes nothing. But to forget something so fundamental strikes you as ludicrous. Then again...barred as they are, it is possible. "The heralds will have reminded them." You say, though suddenly you feel far less confident in this.

how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep

so hold my hand & i'll walk with you, my dear

You don't lean against Oia for too long: as much as you relish the physical reassurance, the last thing you want is to make your taller twin uncomfortable. And her small but noticeable return of affection is enough to buoy you back up to a comfortable level, your anxieties eased as swiftly as they arose. Stepping away enough that you're just barely touching, your fingers gently brushing hers, you turn to look at the large crumbling edifice that stands somewhere in the middle of this place.

"Those people aren't from here, tho," you point out, biting at your lip. "If they come from somewhere else the reaction could be different. But is - we've been here the whole time, an' they've been stuck inside. We don' even know what their social structure is like." If you had been stuck inside a bubble for over 300 years and people had been right outside, not helping or talking to you or anything...

Well. You would probably be chill about it, but you're fairly difficult to ruffle. Others, though? You wouldn't be so surprised if tensions are high.

And then there's more things to consider, more concerns. Will you live among them? Will it interfere with your observations? Should you maybe actually tell them who you are, so they know that Rae still cares about them from out there? There's a million billion possibilities, and your anxiety is starting to rise up again, evident in the way your fingers fidget and drum against your side and your toes curl and uncurl against the mud.

It's also evident in your sudden silence, the characteristic chatter and observation falling silent as you think. One or two stray mushrooms pop up from your shoulders as you think, your brain spiraling and spinning in a million directions all at once.

Kaimana

OIA'I'O

and i asked myself about the present:

In lots of relationships, there’s the desire for perfect spontaneity. For knowing exactly what to do without having to be told. You, will never be that person. You must be taught how to do everything; what reactions you are meant to have, how to comfort, how to sit still and endure receive a hug. For others, this might be unsatisfactory, but it is all you can do. It is the way your mind works. So though you reach for Kai’s hand only because he has told you this is a method of being consoling in the past, it is one of the most sincere expressions of love available to you. Just because you have decided upon it not out of spontaneity but a procedural decision based on previous inputs, shouldn’t diminish its meaningfulness.

All that to say, you reach for Kai’s hand, your fingers locking between his.

“Everyone likes you.” You point out. “And if their social structures are strange such that we find ourselves unwelcome, so much the better for our research.” This is in effect, the most reassuring you can be. It’s Oia-speak for “look on the bright side!”

how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep

so hold my hand & i'll walk with you, my dear

"I like you," you reply automatically, sincerity in your voice and your warm brown eyes as you look up at your twin. Squeezing her fingers between yours you cannot help the smile that illuminates your face, a wave of affection and adoration for Oia's gestures, her attempts to soothe you. You have taught her to be receptive to your need for reassurance, and she in turn has taught you to appreciate the small gestures that have large meanings.

She's right, too: the more they linger on the outside, the less they will be interrupted in their observations. "You are very often right," you reply with a grin, carefully choosing your words to avoid hyperbole, her dislike for those hypotheticals very well known. "Your observations are going to be very thorough. An' I'm gonna make a lotta observations, too. An' do my best to be not biased."

It is the best thing you can think to promise her. To maintain scientific integrity as best you can.

Kaimana

OIA'I'O

and i asked myself about the present:

You hate being complimented. You’re reminded suddenly that you have all these limbs you’re meant to account for, and though Kai has told you that all you need to do is say thank you, your mind swirls with potential responses and criticisms. You can also feel your blood temperature rising. What should you do with your other hand? “Thank you.” You recite automatically.

Now it is his turn to soothe you, with factual statements and truths that you can sink into. You feel yourself relaxing and the sudden weight on your chest beginning to lift. Plans, routines, predictions. These are the things that you find comforting, and the unconconcious sigh of relief is evidence of this. “Tonight we can sleep in the woods, and approach in the morning?” You have a dislike for being inside inorganic structures, and if you’re being honest, you’re absolutely looking for an excuse to spend one more night in the wilderness before being potentially forced to reside inside if only to be better subsumed in your experiments.

how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep

so hold my hand & i'll walk with you, my dear

"Sleeping in the woods is pleasant." You share your twin's aversion to buildings, though to a much lesser degree. It's just that they seem so small and locked in, and even the windows are usually closed away from the world. What kind of life is that? It's unsettling, especially to sleep at night.

No, you would much rather sleep outdoors, or at least not-indoors. "The woods are real nice a little further - thick enough I betcha we could make a good place to live for a little while. I can move some bushes around an' we can make some beds from snow moss an' it'll be nice for while we're here observin'. Whaddya think?"

Kaimana

OIA'I'O

and i asked myself about the present:

This is also one of the reasons you adore your twin: he's like you. You come at the world in different ways, but at the end of the day, you both love it and want to spend time in it. In threads days to come you'll be asked why you want to sleep outdoors, why you don't wear shoes, why you don't mind being dirty and covered in plant life all the time. And even for someone without your specific set of difficulties, that would be hard to answer.

How do you explain your soul, to someone who clearly doesn't understand it?

You're infinitely glad you don't have to explain it to Kai.

"Yes. It will be especially advantageous to be able to observe the area at night as well." You cast a look at the tumbleweeds, as if silently daring them to be more enthuisiastic under cover of the stars.

how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep

so hold my hand & i'll walk with you, my dear

"It would." The thing about you and Oia is that while you talk a lot, you don't really have to talk. You exchange observations and swap notes and point out interesting subjects, but when it comes to who you are, what you want, to dreams and feelings and souls?

In that you are more animal than human, perhaps, capable of understanding that goes beyond words.

Together you make your way toward the trees, stopping every now and then to point something else out or observe a particularly interesting growth. And when you get to the trees you use your ability to coax some of the bushes into a sort of cave-meets-nest, cozy and protected in case of showers, warm enough for you to last the night. "Home," you announce with no small amount of pride, reaching out to once again squeeze Oia's fingers. You aren't talking about the little structure.

You are talking about her.

Kaimana